The University of Laval's Journal of Transportation Safety & Security conducted the study, which concluded that "poor car-to-person fit is thought to be the leading cause of the increased risk of injury and fatality for [drivers] who are obese or overweight versus [those] who are normal weight." The study reports that drivers with a body mass index greater than 30 were more likely to suffer serious injuries to the upper and facial portions of their body than those with a BMI lower than 30.
In addition, the study found that drivers with sleep apnea-hypopnea, a shallow breath syndrome often associated with obesity, were involved in an unusually high number of illness-related car accidents.
The study's ramifications on both vehicle safety design an car insurance rates are unclear, although it's not difficult to surmise that both industries might be impacted.
